Vacuum container



Dec. 22 1925- 1,566,983

..I E. SHERIFF VACUUM CONTAINER Original Filed July 28. 1922 z'sneets-sheet 1 J E. SHERIFF VACUUM CONTAINER Dec. 22 1925- Original Filed July 28, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 ass 1).; i525.

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Application filed July 25, 1922, Serial No. 578,128. Renewed June 10, 1925.

To all whom it may concemry Be it known that I, J ED SHERIFF, a eiti zen of the United States, residing in New York, county and-Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Containers, of which the following is a s ecification.

- The present invention relates to an improved form of seal or closure for containers, whether of metal, glass or other materlal,

- whereby a lasting and reliable sealing may be effected. The invention is particularly useful in connection with vacuum jars, and

especially where dry material, such as dehydrated foods, is to be preserved in vacuo.

It has been found by experiment that, in

order to make rings of rubber and the like thoroughly and lastingly effective for sealing urposes, such rings should be subjected locaily to a high compression on .each unit ofhrface, and should be so mounted as to have room within which to move, to accommodate itself to the biting effect of such compression. Moreover, for securing the best results it is found advisable to combine the method above outlined with a telescoping friction fit, which may be utilized either with a layer of rubber (as is best with glass jars) or' without this auxiliary.

Certain preferred forms of the improved seal are shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 shows the various parts, in section and separated, as preferably employed for glass jars, figure 2 shows in perspective a portion of a modified form of rubber ring capable of use in connection with the apparatus shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the parts as located when the seal is completed, Figure 4 is a transverse section showing the modified form of seal as preferably used for thin-walled containers, as,

for. instance, tin cans, and Figure 5 is a partial section of another modified form for tin .cans and the like.

. means are already known in this art for produciing the vacuum for sealing jars of this kin In Figure 1, the upper portion of a glass jar is shown at 10, the same having the usual between this ridge and the outer collar 13,

there is a curved depression running all around the neck of the jar.

The closing and sealing means comprise a resilient ring, preferably of rubber or rubber composition, and a removable cover adapted to fit the mouth of the jar in the manner shown in Figure 3. Inasmuch as it is found practically impossible to manufacture glass jars without inequalities and irregularities of curve, the sealing ring used is so made as to fit the cylindrical wall 12 as well as the u turned portion of the neck.

In the form s own in Figure 1, a molded rubber ring is used having a horizontal flange 15 and a vertical skirt 16, joined at right angles. The flange 15 fits over me up turned edge of the jar, while the skirt 16 fits snugly within the wall12 (see Figure 3 The cover is provided with a convex c ylindrical depending portion 17, while above and outside of this cylinder, the cover' is turnished with a circular ridge or bead 18 cor responding to the bead 14 on the jar. A curved depression running all around the cover separates the bead 18 from the cylindrical portion 17. 1

When the vacuum has been produced and the jar is closed, the parts assume approximately the position shown in Figure 3. Here it will be seen that the skirt 16 on the rubber ring fits between the cylinder 17 01 the cover and the wall 12 on the jar. The horizontal part of the ring is firmly gripped between the horizontal portions of the cover and. jar, in such a manner that the ridges or beads 14 and 18 exert a very high compression per unit of area upon the rubber. This causes the rubber to ex and into the adjacent curved hollow portions of the cap and jar. The biting pressure exerted vertically scoping frictional engagement within the cylindrical wall 12, and-a very effective seal is thus secured.

It is not essential that a molded rubber ring 15, 16, should be used. In Figure 2 is shown a substitute .cut ring having two parts 19, 20 on each'side of a circular bend. This may be used instead of the ring 15, 16, and the two parts 19, 20. will crowd into position as shown in Figure 3, to form the vertical and horizontah portions of the ring respectively.

In Figure 4 is shown a thin walled container 21 preferably made of sheet metal. The top of this container is slightly concave and the central opening is surrounded by a downwardly projecting cylinder 22, corresponding to the wall 12 in Figure l.v Surrounding the opening is a beading 23, formed by an abrupt circular bend in the metal, and on each side of this beading the metal is preferably curved as shown to accommodate the rubber of the sealing ring. At some distance outside of this beading, a circular ridge 24 is formed in the top which serves as a centering guide for the exhaust- .ing pump, the general position of which is indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 4.

The cap or cover is shown at 25. It is provided with a deep peripheral cylinder 26 which tightly fits the cylinder 22, to form a telescoping friction seal, and the upper edge of this cylinder 26 is bent outward in a double curve to form a'circular beading 27, just outside of a circular curved depression which accommodates the compressed rubber. In this modification the rubber ring used 'may be a simple flat ring, as shown, since the telescopic friction fit can be obtained without the use of rubber. The beads 23 and 27 cooperate in compression of this ring 28 in the same manner as the beads 14: and 18 in Figure 2.

In Figure 5 is shown another form of' cap which may be used with sheet metal containers. Here the beading 27 is not produced by turning up the extreme outer edge of the sheet metal cap, but this outer edge is rolled instead, so as to present a rounded outer edge 29.

It is clear that this invention may be given a variety of embodiments without departing from its scope, and-I do not limit myself to the details herein shown and describedf What I claim is- 1. A package comprising a container having an opening surrounded by a biting ridge,

2. An apparatus of the character described. a container having an opening and a neck surrounding the same provided on its upturned face with a biting ridge and an adjacent hollow extending around beside said ridge; in combination with a cover having an under face provided with a biting ridge whose apex comes substantiallv directly over the apex of the ridge on the container-and also having a hollow portion directly opposite the hollow on the container, and a sealing ring between said cover and container-neck adapted to receive the biting compression of said ridges.

3. A package comprising a container having an opening surrounded by a biting ridge, and a cover provided with a biting ridge on its under surface, said cover being so constructed as to center itself when applied to the container so as to bring its biting'ridge substantially vertically over the ridge on the container.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand this 27th day of July 1922.

d ED SHERIFF. 

